US3319756A - Baggage marker - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1967 T. c. PELIKAN 3,319,756

BAGGAGE MARKER Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l [N VEN TOR.

y 6, 1967 T. c. PELIKAN 3,319,756

BAGGAGE MARKER Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'IOR. 7176000 6 G fi-uk BY United States Patent 3,319,756 BAGGAGE MARKER Theodore C. Pelikan, Los Robles 380, San Isidro, Lima, Peru Filed Aug. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 48tl,%1 7 Claims. (Cl. 194 -2) This invention relates to a label making machine and more particularly to a coin-operated la'bel embossing and dispensing machine.

Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced, particularly in the field of mass public transportation such as the commercial airlines, for example, due to the number of pieces of baggage which are lost annually. It has been estimated that of the order of magnitude of 2,500 pieces of baggage are considered lost at any given time. It will be appreciated that a jet airliner may carry over 100 passengers with a total of about 300 pieces of baggage which must be handled under rush conditions for each flight. Inevitably, the airlines baggage tag may be torn off some of this baggage which then becomes lost. According to my invention, a label indicating the name and address of the owner is permanently affixed to each piece of baggage. In this manner, it becomes a simple matter for the airlines to return the stray baggage to their rightful owners, thereby relieving the airlines of a major problem as well as satisfying the passengers.

A label making machine constructed according to the concepts of my invention is particularly adapted, among other possible uses, for supplying labels that may be afiixed to inter alia, suitcases, briefcases, hat boxes, coats, lining of fur coats and inside hat bands, for example.

Briefly, my invention contemplates the provision of a new and improved label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station disposed within the housing for selecting characters to be embossed upon the tape. This machine further includes a tape feed wheel for advancing the tape past the embossing station and motive means for the tape feed wheel. Also, a coin operated rack means is provided which selectively restrains movement of the tape feed Wheel depending upon whether or not a coin has been deposited.

My invention, in one form thereof, contemplates the provision of a label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station disposed within said housing, and a die bar positioned adjacent the embossing station for selecting characters to be embossed upon the tape. Further, a portion of the housing adjacent the embossing station is fabricated from transparent material such as clear plastic, and an illuminating means such as an electric light bulb is positioned internally of said housing for purposes of allowing the operator to visually observe the tape immediately after embossing .a character thereon in order that correction may be effected, if necessary. The label making machine further comprises a tape supply source, means for advancing the tape past the embossing station which includes a tape drive Wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, and means for mounting the drive wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation. Further, there is provided an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to the embossing handle lever for rotating the ratchet wheel in one direction in order to advance the tape one increment. A rack having a hooked end is mounted for reciprocal sliding movement, said rack being so disposed that itengages 3,3l9,756 Patented May 16, 1967 the pinion gear for movement in one direction, and means are provided for disengaging the rack and pinion gear when in movement in the opposite direction. A coin slide extends from the sidewall of the housing inwardly into the housing beneath the rack. This coin slide is mounted for reciprocal sliding movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the rack, the coin slide carrying a striker plate for engaging the hooked end of the rack in order to urge the rack in said opposite direction, whereby upon insertion of a coin a preselected length of tape becomes available to the operator of the machine for embossing characters thereon.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved label making machine which upon actuation by means of depositing a coin therein serves to reliably and successfully dispense tape therefrom having selected characters embossed thereon.

As another feature of the invention, there is provided a tape embossing machine which is easy to operate, which provides simple means for the operator to select characters to be embossed on said tape, and which employs improved means for detecting and correcting errors occurring during operation.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved tape embossing machine which is economical to manufacture, which is compact, and which is durable and easy to maintain.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label making machine constructed in accordance with the concept of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the machine members in their respective positions subsequent to the last embossing operation and prior to insertion of an actuating coin;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the machine members in their respective positions subsequent to the partial insertion of the coin slide;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 but showing the machine members in their respective positions subsequent to the insertion of the actuating coin slide, whereby the machine is ready for the embossing operation; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing the interrelationship between the pinion gear, the tape feed wheel, and the ratchet wheel and pawl.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, there is shown a housing 19 which is mounted on a sidewall 12 in an airline terminal, for example, by means of support members 14, as best seen in FIG. 1. The machine has a supply of tape such as a tape roll 16, FIG. 2, which is positioned within the housing 10, and from which tape 18 is fed past a drive wheel 20, through an embOssing station 22 and discharged from the machine through an outlet opening 24 in the housing 10. Any suitable type of embossable tape may be employed. Preferably, the tap is flexible and has an adhesive coating on one surface with a removable protective backing thereagainst, so that the tape may be safely stored in the machine for a substantial period of time, but which upon being dispensed may have the protective backing removed to expose the adhesive coating for ready adherence to baggage, or the like.

Referring again to FIG. 1, there is mounted on the upper portion of the housing a die bar 26 having a series of characters disposed thereon. This bar is adapted for manual transverse movement by means of knobs 28 mounted on the ends thereof for purposes of selecting the desired character to be embossed upon the tape. It is noted that the housing 10 is provided with pointer means 29 which serve to indicate to the operator which character is in position for embossing. A portion of the housing 10 adjacent the embossing station 22 is fabricated from transparent material such as clear plastic so that the operator may immediately visualize the last preceding character embossed upon the tape 18 to determine whether or not correction is required.

As best seen in FIGS. 2-4, illuminating means, such as an electric light bulb 32, is mounted on the inside of the housing 10 in order to illuminate the tape during the embossing operation, thereby assisting the operator.

The machine is further provided with a pistol grip 34 and a pivotally mounted embossing handle lever 36 which serves to actuate the embossing means disposed in the embossing station 22. Lever 36 also serves to actuate means for feeding the tape 18 through the machine as will be described more fully hereinafter. A cut-off trigger 38 is provided for purposes of severing the tape after completion of the embossing operation.

Referring now to FIG. 5, means are provided for advancing the tape past the embossing station comprising the tape feed wheel 20, a ratchet wheel 40 and knob 42 having external teeth 44 which are adapted to engage internal teeth 46 of pinion gear 48. The knob 42, tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel may be fabricated from a single piece of material or they may be fixedly connected one to the other. As may be seen, the pinion gear 48 is fixedly connected to the knob 42, and therefore, the feed wheel 20, ratchet Wheel 40 and pinion gear 48 all have common rotation. Still referring to FIG. 5, the embossing handle lever 36 is provided with a depending pawl 50 which is adapted to engage and cause rotation of the ratchet wheel 40 in one direction which, in turn, causes rotation of the feed wheel 20 in the same direction, and thereby urges the tape 18 to move through the machine in a series of increment movements or steps.

As best seen in FIGS. 2-4, a coin slide 52 slidably disposed within carrier member 54, having integral therewith an escutcheon plate 56 secured to Wall 58 of the housing 10, serves as the control element for the operating mechanism. As the coin slide 52 is moved from its outermost position, as indicated in FIG. 2, to its innermost position as indicated in FIG. 4, the inner end or striker plate 60 engages an inclined surface 61 of a hooked end 62 of an elongated bar rack 64. The housing 10 is provided with two substantially horizontally extending slot- like slideways 66 and 68. A pin 70 is mounted on one end of the rack 64 and is adapted for sliding movement in the slideway 66. A second pin 72 is carried in slot 74 at the other end of rack 64 and is adapted to slidably move in slideway 68 in the housing 10. A spring 76 is provided for resiliently urging the rack 64 upwardly with respect to the pin 72 and housing 10 in order to engage the teeth 65 of the rack with the teeth 67 of the pinion gear 48.

In operation a coin is deposited in the coin slide 52 and the coin slide is manually moved from its outermost position as viewed in FIG. 2 to its position as viewed in FIG. 3. That is, the striker plate 60 engages the inclined surface 61 of the hook portion 62 and thereby urges the rack 64 downwardly against the spring force 76 to disengage the teeth 65 of the rack 64 from the teeth 67 of the pinion 48. Having thus disengaged the teeth, continued inward movement of the coin slide 52 readily moves the rack 64 inwardly from its position as shown in FIG. 3 to its innermost position as shown in FIG. 4. The coin slide is then released and returned to its outer position. As seen in FIG. 4, due to the location of the slideways 66 and 68, and due to the resilient action of the spring 76, teeth 65 of the rack 64 engage teeth 67 of the pinion gear 48 during the entire return stroke of the rack. The machine is now ready for the embossing operation. The operator selects a character to be embossed upon the tape on the die bar 26 by means of transversely sliding the bar to centrally position the so-selected character in the embossing station 22. Thence, the embossing handle lever 36 is squeezed to effect the embossing of the so-selected character upon the tape. As seen in FIG. 5, movement of the embossing handle lever 36 causes the pawl 50 to index the ratchet wheel 40 a partial revolution, thereby turning the tape feed wheel 20 a corresponding partial revolution to advance the tape an increment through the machine. Movement of the ratchet Wheel 40 also causes a corresponding movement of the pinion gear 48 which in turn causes movement of the rack 64 from the left to the right as viewed in FIG. 4. The embossing operation is continually repeated for embossing a complete name and address, or other indicia, upon the tape, and for each letter embossed the rack is moved an increment to the right as viewed in FIG. 4. After the rack 64 has moved from its position as seen in FIG. 4 to its position as seen in FIG. 2, the pins 70 and 72 engage the ends of their respective slideways 66 and 68, thereby stopping movement of the rack to the right as viewed in FIG. 2. This, in turn, locks the pinion gear 48 and the tape feed wheel 20 so that no more tape may be embossed unless another coin is inserted in the coin slide 52. The tape may be severed, by actuation of the cut-off trigger 38, and removed from the machine. The device is now ready for receiving the next coin and repeating the entire cycle of operation.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I contribute by my invention a new and improved coin operated label making machine which reliably and successfully dispenses labeling tape with selected characters embossed thereon.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention is herein disclosed for purposes of explanation, further modification thereof, after study of this specification, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. Reference should accordingly be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station, embossing means disposed in said embossing station, a handle lever for actuating said embossing means, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, motive means for said tape feed wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, a rack mounted for reciprocal sliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for a series of step movements in one direction and to be in disengaged position with respect to said pinion gear when in movement in the opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing beneath said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement substantially parallel to.

5 the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged to engage said rack for urging said rack in said opposite direction, whereby one coin is deposited for releasing a series of embossing steps.

2. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station, embossing means disposed in said embossing station, a handle lever for actuating said embossing means, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchet Wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to said embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one direction for advancing said tape one increment through said machine, a rack mounted for reciprocal sliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for a series of step movements corresponding to embossing steps in one direction and to be in disengaged position with respect to said pinion gear when in movement in the opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing adjacent said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement substantially parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged to engage said rack for urging said rack in said opposite direction, whereby one coin is deposited for releasing a series of embossing steps.

3. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to said embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one direction for advancing said tape one increment through said machine, a rack having a hooked end portion, said housing having a pair of horizontally disposed slot-like slideways, said rack having transversely disposed pin members for sliding in said slotlike slideways for guiding said rack in reciprocal sliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for movement in one direction, means for disengaging said rack and pinion gear when said pinion gear is in movement in the opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing adjacent said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement substantially parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged to engage said hooked end of said rack for urging said rack in said opposite direction.

4. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station, a tape supply source, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprlsmg a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to said embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one direction for advancing said tape one increment through said machme, a rack having a hooked end portion with an inclined surface, said housing having a pair of slot-like slideways, a pin transversely mounted on one end of said rack for slidably engaging one of said slideways, said rack having a vertically extending slot at the other end of said rack, a second pin mounted in said vertically extending slot, said second pin also slidably engaging the other of sand slideways, resilient means disposed in said vertically extending slot for urging said rack upwardly with respect to said pin in said slot, whereby said rack engages sa d pmion gear for movement in one direction, a coin slide extending into said housing beneath said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement parallel to the axis of said rack, and a striker plate connected to the inside end of said coin slide for engaging said inclined surface of said hooked end of said rack for urging said rack downwardly to disengage said rack with respect to said pinion gear and for urging said rack in said opposite direction.

5. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embosing station, embossing means disposed in said embossing station, a handle lever for actuating said embossing means, a die bar disposed adjacent said embossing station for selecting characters to be embossed upon said tape, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, motive means for said tape feed wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and said pinion gear for common rotation, a rack mounted for reciprocal sliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for a series of step movements corresponding to embossing steps in one direction and to be in disengaged position with respect to said pinion gear when in movement in the opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing adjacent said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement substantially parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged to engage said rack for urging said rack in said opposite direction, whereby one coin is deposited for releasing a series of embossing steps.

6. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station, a die bar disposed adjacent said embossing station for selecting characters to be embossed upon said tape, a portion of said housing adjacent said embossing station being transparent, illuminating means for lighting the tape adjacent said embossing station, a tape supply source, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed Wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to said embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one direction for advancing said tape one increment through said machine, a rack having a hooked end portion mounted for reciprocal sliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for movement in one direction and to be in disengaged position with respect to said pinion gear when in movement in the opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing beneath said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged to engage said hooked end of said rack for urging said rack in said opposite direction.

7. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station, an elongated substantially rectangular shaped die bar, said die bar being mounted on said housing for transverse horizontal movement with respect to the direction of tape feed for selecting characters to be embossed upon said tape, a portion of said housing adjacent said embossing station being transparent, illuminating means for lighting the tape adjacent said embossing station, a tape supply source, means for advancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to said embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one direction for advancing said tape one increment through said machine, a rack having a hooked end portion with an inclined surface, said housing having a pair of slot-like slideways, a pin transversely mounted on one end of said rack for slidably engaging one of said slideways, said rack having a vertically extending slot at the other end of said rack, a second pin mounted in said vertically extending slot, said second pin also slidably engaging the other of said slideways, resilient means disposed in said vertically extending slot for urging said rack upwardly with respect to said pin in said slot, whereby said rack engages said pinion gear for movement in one direction, a coin slide extending into said housing beneath said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement parallel to the axis of said rack, and a striker plate connected to the inside end of said coin slide for engaging said inclined surface of said hooked end of said rack for urging rack downwardly 2,142,009 to disengage said rack with respect to said pinion gear 2,271,073 and for urging said rack in said opposite direction. 6

References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,171 1/1927 Heene 1976.7

1,796,370 3/1931 Hochriem et a1.

8 Siebert 1976.2 Harris. Gray. Bremer 19767 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A LABEL MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A TAPE EMBOSSING STATION, EMBOSSING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID EMBOSSING STATION, A HANDLE LEVER FOR ACTUATING SAID EMBOSSING MEANS, MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID TAPE PAST SAID EMBOSSING STATION COMPRISING A TAPE FEED WHEEL, MOTIVE MEANS FOR SAID TAPE FEED WHEEL, A PINION GEAR, MEANS MOUNTING SAID TAPE FEED WHEEL AND PINION GEAR FOR COMMON ROTATION, A RACK MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCAL SLIDING MOVEMENT, SAID RACK BEING ARRANGED TO ENGAGE SAID PINION GEAR FOR A SERIES OF STEP MOVEMENTS IN ONE DIRECTION AND TO BE IN DISENGAGED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID PINION GEAR WHEN IN MOVEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, A COIN SLIDE EXTENDING INTO SAID HOUSING BENEATH SAID RACK AND MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCAL SLIDING MOVEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID RACK, AND SAID COIN SLIDE BEING ARRANGED TO ENGAGE SAID RACK FOR URGING SAID RACK IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WHEREBY ONE COIN IS DEPOSITED FOR RELEASING A SERIES OF EMBOSSING STEPS.

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